ArtsQuest chef Ashley Sherman eliminated from 'Hell's Kitchen'

Fans line up to get an autograph from Ashley Sherman during a Hell's Kitchen free viewing party for contestant Ashley Sherman, of Forks Township at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks Sept. 24, 2014.

Fans line up to get an autograph from Ashley Sherman during a Hell's Kitchen free viewing party for contestant Ashley Sherman, of Forks Township at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks Sept. 24, 2014. (APRIL BARTHOLOMEW, THE MORNING CALL)

For Palmer Township chef Ashley Sherman, the end of the road on Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" came Wednesday when celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay told her to hand in her jacket.

A tearful Sherman said afterward she was disappointed that Ramsay didn't think "she was good enough."

Sherman, who works as lead line cook at the ArtsQuest Center, was one of 12 remaining chefs competing on the seventh episode of the reality TV show. The 30-year-old has been part of the Aramark Culinary team at SteelStacks in Bethlehem since 2011.

On the episode, blue team chef Sterling Wright was switched to the women's red team. The teams had to prepare Italian dishes inspired by operas. The contestants went head to head, and Sherman was up against Fernando Cruz on veal saltimbocca. She didn't know how to prepare it, and loses. The blue team triumphed and the men headed off to lunch at an Italian restaurant, while the women and Wright had to make squid ink pasta by hand.

For dinner, Ramsay says there will be VIP diners, including members of the Italian Consulate. During dinner service, the women seem strong at first while the men struggle on risotto.

But when Sherman sent out a dish with raw calamari to the Italian Consulate table and it is sent back, Ramsay is furious and kicks the entire red team out of the kitchen.

He was not much happier with the blue team, and told both teams to put up two people for elimination.

Sherman, who was kicked out of the kitchen on last week's episode as well, was nominated for elimination with fellow chefs Roe DiLeo, Aaron Lhamon and Steve Rosenthal. All except Sherman had been up for elimination before, so it was surprising when Ramsay tapped Sherman to go home.

After Sherman's tearful final interview, Ramsay told the rest he wasn't done, as "to be continued" flashed across the screen.

Sherman was the third Lehigh Valley area resident to compete on "Hell's Kitchen."

Phillipsburg native Christina Wilson won Season 10 of "Hell's Kitchen" in 2012 and was made head chef of Gordon Ramsay's Steak in Las Vegas after winning the show. She is now executive chef of Gordon Ramsay BurGR in Planet Hollywood Casino.

Last year, Jessica Lewis, a 2004 Parkland grad, competed on the show. She was the sixth chef to be eliminated that season.